Robbie Keane believes the advancement of Major League Soccer in the United States is creating a new breed of football freelancers who will become part of the game's future.

Keane was unveiled on Thursday by Aston Villa, with whom he has signed a short-term loan deal from LA Galaxy. His first game for the club is on Saturday against Everton, who also feature a Galaxy player, Landon Donovan. The pair have been joined in temporary Premier League deals by Thierry Henry, who made his second Arsenal debut on Monday night on loan from his parent club, New York Red Bulls.

With David Beckham the trailblazer, having previously spent the MLS off-seasons of 2009 and 2010 abroad when he wintered in Italy at Milan, Keane points to the American league's lengthy break, from December to March, as the factor that may drive more footballers to split their year between the US and elsewhere.

Keane said: "It could happen with people who go to America. In America they get a longer time off, especially [for] the players who played in England – they're not used to getting that much time off. Since I've been a kid, it's never been more than four weeks, depending on games with the national team. The players aren't used to it."

Keane has talked with Beckham generally about what it can be like to ply their trade away from Galaxy while still contracted there. "Yes, but not really for any advice," he said. "We've just been speaking. I didn't really ask him too much. I've had my time off – I was training with Tottenham [one of his nine former clubs] last week. It was either that or go back and train and have pre-season games with Galaxy. There wouldn't have been much difference."

Keane has no desire to return to football in England permanently. "No, I'm quite happy in the MLS, I've really enjoyed the three months I've had there," he said. "It's nice to have both. I'm happy to come back here for a couple of months then look forward to getting back with the Galaxy."

Familiarity with the Premier League village has helped Keane jump back into the fray with Villa where he is also friends with Republic of Ireland team-mates Shay Given and Richard Dunne and he will link in attack with his former Spurs colleague Darren Bent.

He said: "It's been very easy to be honest, I'm lucky to know a lot of players here, I knew Alex McLeish [the manager] and Kevin McDonald [coach]. It's been very easy to settle in. The manager is great and the staff as well. If I can help the team, great – it's a team that the manager is trying to build. In the next two years you'll see a strong Villa side."

Keane has not yet decided if he will repeat the sojourn during the next MLS post-season. "I'm not one of those players who looks 12 months ahead. I'm here for seven weeks and it will be a good challenge for me," he said. "LA Galaxy are not playing until the 22nd [of February] and their pre-season is a lot longer and there is a lot more travelling to do. It just worked out perfectly for myself and hopefully for Villa."

As with Beckham's trips abroad, the Galaxy and the MLS will welcome the glow reflected back on their profile by Keane's return to a competition that has the global reach of the Premier League. "They were very relaxed about it. The manager [Bruce Arena] was happy for me to go," he said. "They had no worries."

With Paul Scholes also returning for Manchester United – albeit from retirement rather than a foreign league – Keane believes that the guile and wisdom of greybeard players is enjoying a renaissance.

He said: "Managers know the personnel. You know what you're getting with Paul Scholes, with Thierry Henry, and although I haven't worked with Alex before he knows what I'm as like as a player, and what I'm like around the place – the lads here will have told him I'm not a bad influence, that I'll try and help players and encourage people. I'll certainly be doing that while I'm here. I'll try and encourage them on or off the pitch."

With Beckham 36, Scholes 37 and Henry 34, Keane is a relative spring chicken at 31. "I want to play as long as I can whether that's in the MLS or anywhere else, that's great," he added. "I love playing football and love training. I could easily be sitting on the beach now and having a holiday. But I enjoy being around the lads. I get itchy feet, and the move to Villa is good. It works out well for both of us.

"As long as I feel good and don't get too many injuries I'll play as long as I can regardless of where that is. Players look after themselves now more than they did 15 years ago. They have fitness coaches and dieticians now which I never had when I started."